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BOSTON— Dickinson Direct, a 225-person direct marketing services firm that has been in operation for more than 50 years, has been purchased by Protocol Communications. Terms were not disclosed by the two privately held firms. Braintree, Mass.-based Dickinson will for now keep its name and its current management team, including chief executive Reed Dickinson, whose father founded the firm. The younger Dickinson becomes executive vice president of the 5,000-person Danvers, Mass.-based parent firm, which specializes in the direct mail, telemarketing and Internet niches. Dickinson clients include Fidelity Investments, Bose Corp., Aquent Partners and Genuity.

Pagano Schenck & Kay to Move to New York

BOSTON—Pagano Schenck & Kay is moving to New York, where it hopes to take better advantage of the integrated resources of its parent firm Panoramic Communications. Chairman and creative director Woody Kay, president Beau Fraser and an undisclosed number of the shop’s other employees will move, agency executives said. Pagano relocated to Boston from Providence, R.I., in 1994, but was unable to grow beyond its small-agency roots and joined the Panoramic fold five years later. Pagano claimed $4.6 million in revenue for 1999. Key clients expected to remain with the shop, which will keep its name in New York, include Rdental.com, Revenio Software and Consumer Credit Counseling Services, agency executives said.

Arnold Outpost Claims Choice Hotels

ATLANTA—Arnold Worldwide has claimed its first major piece of business this year, winning the $35-40 million advertising account of Choice Hotels International. Arnold’s office in McLean, Va., bested Avrett Free Ginsberg, Bozell Kamstra and Deutsch, all in New York, in a pitch that ended last week. The client in Silver Spring, Md., had worked with Gray, Kirk/VanSant, Baltimore.

Clients in North, South Leave Mullen Fold

BOSTON—Citing a desire to focus on trade advertising crafted in-house, Northern Light Technology has ended its relationship with Mullen. The search engine company spent $12-15 million annually through the Wenham, Mass.-based agency. Separately, in the aftermath of the forced merger between Interpublic Group sister shops Mullen and Long Haymes Carr—forming Mullen/LHC in Winston-Salem, N.C.—The Southern Company’s Alabama Power subsidiary has shifted its $5 million marketing account, won by Long Haymes in November, to Harris Drury Cohen, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Hotline Roundup

BOSTON—Marketing Drive USA, a Wilton, Conn.-based promotions and marketing unit of True North Communications, will open a 30-person Boston office this month … Boston Magazine has promoted Daniel Scully to publisher. He had been associate publisher. Paul Reulbach, who had been advertising director, assumes the associate publisher post … Ciavarra Design of Boston has been retained by crosstown voice technology firm SpeechWorks to develop a communications strategy program … Go Fish! Design of Boston has been selected by DogWatch of Natick, Mass., for brochure and design work.